FILM REVIEWS: more blessings from the bloggers

True to the thumbs-up from film critics who came and were conquered by Brillante Mendoza's 'Thy Womb,' the blogosphere continues to echo the exclamations of awe from a  selected group of bloggers who were invited to a private screening. Validating its victory at the 38th Metro Manila Film Festival where 'Thy Womb' won seven major awards, more bloggers continue to add their voices to the chorus of acclaim:

Exploring the interactions of culture and nature:  “Set in Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines’ southernmost isles which have become infamous for being torn by warring government and Muslim secessionist forces, the film valiantly avoids sensationalizing war and instead delves into the human condition of a people who have grown accustomed to military presence…indulges in its depiction both nature and culture. Mendoza does not hide his fascination, relentlessly breaking his storytelling to make way for gorgeous images of endless seascapes and colorful tradition. He takes time revelling at whale sharks under the sea, or turtles’ eggs hidden dearly beneath Tawi-Tawi’s remote beaches. He stages elaborate Muslim ceremonies and rituals. Surprisingly, the film never feels as if it is treading too closely to exoticizing its subject locale. The overt visualization of both nature and culture seems essential to Mendoza’s goals of exploring the interactions of culture and nature and the people who rely heavily on them for both sustenance and identity.

Henry Burgos’ screenplay is admirably spare. It is unafraid of being judged not by the lyricism of the words spoken by the depicted ordinary folk, but by the measured silence. It allows the couple’s relationship to simmer, to take root, to emotionally attach to the peering audience, before exposing the fissures that will unavoidably grow bigger. It masterfully orchestrates heartbreak, without any hint of artifice or machination. It gives Mendoza enough breathing room to scrutinize the world, which he does so without hardly any hesitation.

Aunor, who has been absent from Philippine cinema for several years despite being renowned as one of its living acting treasures, is the film’s beating heart. Her dutiful portrayal of Shaleha is both spontaneous and intelligent. She cleverly interacts with her surroundings, not as an actress inhabiting a role but as a human being naturally reacting to very real scenarios. When the film requires silence, she makes use of her eyes, which seamlessly hypnotize the audience to believe her character’s plight and sacrifice…” -- Lessons from the School of Inattention  (Click the link to read the full article.) 

Heartbreaking and haunting: Despite a considerable career and acclaimed breadth of work, Thy Womb is Mendoza’s first true masterpiece... a hauntingly poignant reflection of human devotion, tradition, desire and joyful exploration of Badjao culture, shot across gorgeous landscapes, with sensitive, yet high-tech cinematography... the film creates a world rich with visuals that draws us into the slow-paced world of barren midwife Shaleha (Nora Aunor) and her fisherman husband, Bangas-An (Bembol Roco).

Indeed, Mendoza meticulously creates the world of Tawi-Tawi for his audience... The film continues to linger at such a sedate pace, that the entrance of Mersila (Lovi Poe), instigating the brief second and final act of the film arrives with such abruptness to emotionally dislocate the audience. Mendoza proceeds to rapidly dismantle and destroy the entire world and the lives of the people he created. When the extraordinary final scene arrives, you understand why Mendoza’s camera lingered in the first act, you understand why he took his time building this rich world and in the process, making the audience invest in his reality, that when it finally shatters, it is heartbreaking cruel and haunting. You may not feel it straightaway, but as you leave the cinema, the events of the film replay in your mind, as if you were in Shaleha and Bangas-An’s marriage, making the ending that much more potent.

Nora Aunor pulls off a sublime performance of the same calibre and dedication as her previous internationally awarded roles under Lino Brocka’s directorship. Perhaps, another performance of a lifetime to add to her belt. She depicts the humble and sun-worn Shaleha with such authenticity that she completely disappears into her role. From her knife-work scaling fish to her quiet looks of hopefulness, then desolation, Nora’s quiet portrayal of Shaleha lingers with you long after the film..." -- Millie Morales (Click the link to read the full article.)

An array of emotions, a great cultural immersion: “We found ourselves deeply engrossed and taken by every detail presented in the beautifully photographed film…

Nora Aunor, who set the acting bar in Philippines cinema, did not fail to impress. Her brilliance is only heightened by the implicit performance of Bembol Roco…

‘Thy Womb’ isn't all about Nora Aunor however. While the performances were quietly powerful, the film was a feat itself. It presents a reality so fascinating and so authentic, you can almost touch it. It depicts a way of life that is as colorful as it is chaotic, simple and unjust. It feeds you with an array of emotions and right before it ends, it lets you take it all in and experience an unbearable pain…

This movie is also a great cultural immersion for the uninitiated… on our Muslim brothers and sisters and how they go about their daily lives…”—Bum-Spot (Click the link to read the full article.) 

Above the mainstream audience: “Thy Womb is a restrained quiet film as it lets the visuals do most of the talking. Small moments are lingered on even if it does not move the story forward. At times it felt like you are watching a documentary because of the film’s naturalistic vibe…

The film gives us slices of life from the regular townsfolk exchanging small talks to the local market activity to the intriguing and lavish marriage proposal rituals. But what got me the most is the way it captured how life goes on in a place that is often burdened by violence…

Aunor and Roco gave restrained but very effective performances. This film has little dialogue in it but thanks to the strength of the actors they don’t need words to show their characters’ inner pain and complex feelings. The scene when they met the future second wife for the first time is the best example how an actor can do so much without uttering a single line. It’s all in the eyes…

Admittedly, it’s a tough sell to the mainstream audience due to the way the story is told but Thy Womb presents a picture of a culture that is fascinating and is definitely worth watching…”— forg files (Click the link to read the full article.) 

Finding what’s lost along the way: “…Through those famed eyes of Nora Aunor and in those remaining few seconds as the camera pans towards her face, I read at once exhilaration, pride, love, sadness and complete surrender to the fate that awaits her. Then the movie ends.

I can understand why cineastes in many parts of the world trooped to see ‘Thy Womb,’ even paying good money to watch it. Or how in Venice, it received a 5-minute standing ovation… Many Filipinos might even scoff at the story, perhaps dismissing it as no longer relevant in this day and age where love, sacrifice and word of honor are nothing but words written on paper boats bobbing violently on rampaging flood waters. 

In Tawi-Tawi a Badjao midwife loves her husband unconditionally and he means the world to her that she would risk losing everything even him so that he could find fulfillment and be happy even in the arms of another woman. Too strange for your taste? In places like Tawi-Tawi where love still runs pure, it isn’t. To them it’s more personal-- simply put, it’s just their way of life. A long time ago, it used to be ours too, we just lost it somewhere along the way.”—Film Fanatix (Click the link to read the full article.)

Mendoza’s best film so far: “Brillante Mendoza is blessed with performers as seasoned as Nora Aunor and Bembol Roco…

If I liked her performance in ‘Bona’ because it revealed Nora Aunor’s feisty side as an obsessed fan, I liked her performance here in ‘Thy Womb’ because as much as there are painful moments, there are happy moments too—happy to see a whale shark swim with them and share the happiness with her husband and happy to receive a surprise gift from her husband, a new scarf to cover her head with for an upcoming wedding they would both attend later. For a serious topic, there are light moments where Shaleha was shown happy. And if she’s happy, it’s not enough that she would expose a hearty smile. The happiness would cross over to her eyes and they would glow. It is her performance that makes you realize that award-winning performance doesn’t always have to be based on hysterical / dramatic moments…

For a movie this good, the chances for it to stay longer for a commercial run has reached depressing levels that it makes you question whether it’s still worth it to make movies like these when you have an unappreciative audience. These films are inspired by actual events that occur in the Philippines and are obviously intended for the Philippine audience. But it’s the foreign audience that ends up appreciating this kind of films even more.

The market itself doesn’t know what does it want. It keeps demanding for quality films every opportunity it gets but whenever amazing films like this come along, they prefer flocking to the crappy mainstream offerings. I hope this bitter reality won’t discourage folks like La Aunor and Direk Mendoza from making quality films. This is Mendoza’s best film so far and the least depressing too which kills the notion that art films often talk about the filth and grime of the poverty-stricken that we live in. Go see it before your favorite cineplex would make true its threat of pulling out the film to fade into oblivion. You have no idea what your missing…Just in case you miss this film and find it hard to come across another quality film again, well, you had your chance and you screwed it. Walang sisihan.”—Filipinas in Showbiz (Click the link to read the full article.)